


A Kiss is a Symbol

by Sethyria



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Two Endings, does not follow sole, ever so slight canonical divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-05-07
Packaged: 2018-06-05 01:44:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6684283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sethyria/pseuds/Sethyria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The side story of a woman in the Railroad.</p>
<p>Whisper is a little known agent in the Railroad, but an important one. After she is blamed for an attack on the Railroad, she vanishes, disappearing for a year. When she is once again spotted in the Commonwealth, things change between her and Deacon. Or, to both their disappointments, don't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Missed Chances

She's been in the Railroad for five years. "Promise" was her codename when she first started. She holds a similar position to Deacon, just with a lot less face swaps and a few less lies per day. Most people don't know about her. HQ only knows because it's their job. But tourists? Outside safehouses? To them she doesn't exist. Even Deacon is more known than her.

 _It's not a bad thing._ No having to watch her back as much, no getting recognised while out in Diamond City or Goodneighbor, no 'geiger counter' questions at inopportune times, and no scandal when she and Deacon start sleeping together. They both agree nothing will ever become of it. "Stress relief." And for the last year or so, it's worked well for them.

Switchboard changed things. Deacon changed his face, she changed her name, and they started seeing each other more. Their talks were no longer just work related. They started looking out for each other's well being more. The close call was enough to somehow change how they felt about each other. It wasn't "co worker" or "agent" anymore. They call each other something new. "Friend."

 

  
"Whisper."

Her head pops up from the report she'd been finishing. She already put it in the computer. It was just writing it out on paper now. When she sees it's Deacon calling for her, she raises a finger. "Whatever it is, no. I gotta finish the debrief of today."

"Oh come on. You'll love it." He holds his hands out to his sides. She takes note of the new leather jacket. Too new. It'll stick out in a crowd. "I just need help getting a little dirty." He winks at her.

She rolls her eyes. "Never thought I'd hear that." She sets down the file and pencil and pushes herself up to stand. "Am I allowed to shoot you this time?"

"No!" Deacon nearly shouts. Then quieter, "No, no, not again. That was only once, and only to maintain cover."

"But who in the Commonwealth has never been shot or shot at?" She puts a hand on her hip and pokes him on the shoulder with her other hand. "Right there. It'll make it seem so real."

"I'm gonna have to spend time trying to recover from the Brotherhood. Stealing that vertibird today was... Tough. Didn't expect so many ferals in a Brotherhood base."

She motions for him to take off the jacket and holds it up once it's in her grip. "This looks like my size."

"Your hat looks like my size."

Whisper had a grey beanie that was practically glued to her head. Ever since he decided on bald, he'd been trying to steal it. His head being cold was his newest excuse. She contemplates. "Nope. Tag says 'one size fits me.' So sorry. Try Fallon's."

Both of them drop the clothing talk and follow as PAM clunks by them towards the round table at the center of HQ.  She speaks quietly with Desdamona. Monthly check up. Calculating for any change in chances for an attack on them. This month was different though. Whisper had a bad feeling when they flew away on that 'bird.

And she hadn't kept quiet about it. The moment it was safe to return to base, she had approached Dez about it. "There were a lot of young soldiers there. They... There's got to be some reason the Brotherhood put them in charge of guarding one of the only 'birds in the Commonwealth. I think they were officers' kids."

"Why would they send out legacies for that?" Desdamona lights a cigarette and leans forward on the table. It's been days since she slept.

Whisper shrugs. "Maybe to let them try to prove themselves? Or maybe they're just spoiled kids having to learn what war is the hard way." She snatches the lighter from the tablet and lights up her own. "I just don't like this. We're being watched as it is. We need to make sure there's no retaliation for this. But..."

"I get it." Dez interrupts. "I'll ask PAM."

"Come on, Dez. She can't put the family relation aspect into her equations. It won't come out right. Just put the next few missions on hold, even if only for a few days. Just let things cool off."

"PAM may not always be right, but I'll still wait for her prediction on the matter. For now, all missions proceed as planned."

Whisper isn't convinced. "People could die if we don't wait!"

"And synths could die if we do. I've made my decision."

Whisper understood of course. She wasn't happy, but she knew Dez had to make the hard decisions. But this wasn't like the others, and now, as PAM said there was a decrease in the likelihood of an attack by the Brotherhood, Whisper stepped up.

"That's bullshit. Those kids were family. They're not just gonna cry about it, they're gonna get revenge."

"Whisper, I have to agree with PAM. Morale is a powerful thing."

PAM clicks and turns to face the mass of the crowd. "Predictions are not to be taken as truth. Statistics only measure probability."

Whisper motions to PAM while still addressing Desdamona. "Exactly. And there's more to this problem than morale! After Switchboard, what did we do? We didn't sit on our asses and wait for the Institute to try again to finish us. No! We trapped am entire squad of gen 1's and kept them from recalling four synths. Four!"

Dez is quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry, Whisper. I just don't think we operate the same way as the Brotherhood. We can't compare ourselves to them. All missions are a go."

Whisper looks up and prays to whatever being is out there for patience. Then she takes a deep breath and shoots a look at Dez. "Fine. But when we get our asses handed to us on simple runs, don't get pissed."

Deacon steps up behind her and tried to calm her. "We'll be careful. We always are."

She turns to face him, accidentally dropping her cigarette in the process. She shuts her eyes tight and tries to say something. Nothing comes out. She takes a deep breath and tries again. "I'm..." Sigh. "I just can't. I need a couple days. I'll be... I'll be at home if you need me for any reason." She moves past him and strides down the back tunnel. _Off to Diamond City._

 

  
Three days later, she comes back. Glory almost throws a chair at her, but is held back. Whisper barely ducks out of the way of a can of pork n' beans, though. "What the hell?!"

"You told them didn't you?! You wanted to be right so bad, you got our people killed so you would look like a damn psychic!"

Whisper's heart drops. "What are you talking about? Who died?" Slight hesitation. "Where's Deacon?"

Deacon steps forward from behind her. His jacket is ripped and covered in died blood. Too real now. "I'm here. Charmer's gone. So is Bullseye. Fixer is gonna be out of commission for a while." Pause. "A _long_ while."

"Shit. How?"

He crosses his arms and stares at her. She can feel his eyes boring into her. He's studying her reaction. "You don't know?"

She furrows her brows then her eyes go wide. "The Brotherhood?"

Glory manages to throw a box of abraxo and hit her on the shoulder in a puff of white. "Don't act like you don't know. That you didn't have a part in it!"

"What the hell are you talking about?! You think I sold out to the Brotherhood of Steel? Everything I do is for the Railroad!"

Dez leans forward on the table. "Your timely disappearance is... Convenient. Our entire Echo priority was wiped out just after you got angry and disappeared."

"I told you this shit would happen and you didn't believe me. Now you're _blaming_ me for it?"

"I'm stating the facts. PAM is the one that is giving us the statistics. And she says there's a good chance you gave away confidential Railroad information."

"She was obviously wrong about an attack, you don't think there's a slight possibility that she's wrong about me?!" She looks around to different people. Most of them either look away, spit in her direction, or just stare at her angrily. She looks to Deacon. "You can't believe this."

He shrugs. "I couldn't even keep tabs on you when you left before you got home. I... You know what? No! I don't." He looks to Dez. "You know that thing we always tell people to do? Get the facts first? Yeah, let's do that."

Drummer Boy nods and leans against a pillar. "I'm with Deacon. This doesn't sound right. When has she ever let us down?"

Dez shakes her head. "Even I get a bad feeling from your disappearance. I don't want it to be true, but things line up too well. But okay. We can try to put resources into-"

"Forget it." Whisper interrupts. "You don't trust me after all the shit I've put into the Railroad, fine. I'll go. And you won't have to put up with me anymore." She throws up her hands on walks out. Before she reaches the door out, she holsters the gun Tom had modified for her and lets it slam it down on the table, not missing a step.

Deacon looks at Dez. "Really?" She looks away and focuses on lighting another cigarette with the remains of her last. He's not getting an answer, he realises that, and runs after Whisper. "Wait. Wait damnit. Stop the train. Whisper!"

She's trying to hide her crying but she stops. He runs around and steps in front of her. "You don't have to go. You know I've pretty much got everyone trained around here. 'Don't trust.' That means anyone. Even each other. It's not you. Really."

"You heard what they said right? That I gave info to the _Brotherhood_. That I got people killed. No. I'm not gonna put up with that."

"I'm not saying you have to stay in HQ while we get our shit together. But sometimes, waiting things out isn't such a bad thing to do."

"Deacon I would never, _ever_ do this."

"I know. Drummer knows. We both know you didn't do it. Let us just get some evidence. Do what I do best. Give us a little time." He steps closer and hesitates, but puts a hand on her shoulder. "Who knows. Maybe Elder Maxson will write a signed letter of non-involvement if I ask nicely enough.

She tries not to smile. "I can only dream..." She lightly sets her hand over his. Then she sighs and pushes him away gently. "You can look if you want. But I'm leaving."

 

  
He finds her hiding at her house in Diamond City. When he visits next, he brings bad news. The Brotherhood is hunting her. She's been labeled a high value target. She's scared when she hears, and they both know it's grave news.

"Did you _actually_ go up and ask Maxson? How do they know about me?" She's on the bed trying to stay calm. She's got her head in her hands leaning forward with her elbows on her knees.

Deacon is sitting on the bed beside her. "Oh yeah. We set up a picnic. You should have seen it; we had sandwiches and drinks and that's when I popped the question. 'Did you talk to this one member of the Railroad? The- yeah, the Railroad. You know the organization set to ruining every bigoted thing you're trying to accomplish?' I described you perfectly. Right down to the hat."

She shoots a him a "dumbass" look. "You know one day I'm going to kick you. You won't expect it, but I'm telling you now, it's going to be for that story." Deacon opens his mouth to respond, but she holds up her finger. "You _will_ bruise."

His mind runs through a few thoughts in a matter of seconds. _There's nothing else I can do to stop the Brotherhood as of right now. I need to get back to Dez by tomorrow morning. Can't sneak out of Diamond City with the lights on night._ He makes a decision. His arms reach out and snake around her, pulling her down towards the bed. He moves to avoid putting his weight on as he hovers over her.

She pouts. "Why do you always get to top?"

He pulls one side of his mouth into a crooked smile. "It's _obviously_ because I don't trust you." His voice wavers. He tries to play it off as just a catch in his breath from shifting, leaning down and biting her where her neck meets shoulder.

She notices, though she pretends not to. _He lied_. Normally, not an unusual thing. But for this topic, at this time. She pulls her head back and exposes more of her neck, realising for the first time that she places a lot of trust in him. But she has to wonder. Was it a lie when he said that was the reason he tops, or a lie when he said he didn't trust her?

Later, after his final thrust and the tell tale arch of her back, they melt into each other. He raises his head enough to look into her eyes, their mouths only inches apart. They've never kissed. He glances down at her lips, ever so slightly lowering his face, watching for her reaction. She tilts her head up to meet him. At the last moment, he closes his eyes and pulls away. _Don't complicate things._

He dresses and relaxes for a few minutes in the chair near her bed. "With... Everything going on..." He stutters. Then he chickens out. "After, uh. After the news about the Brotherhood, Dez has to see reason. I'm going to talk to her."

 

 

PAM reanalyzes the situation and determines a 0.2% chance Whisper gave away information. Dez finally believes that she had nothing to do with it. Deacon is relieved, Drummer Boy is proud he caught on, and Glory promises to buy Whisper a night of drinks when they see each other next. When Deacon goes back to tell her the news, she's vanished.

 

  
About a year down the road, the events of the Commonwealth have led to drastic measures being taken by all factions within. The Institute attacked Bunker Hill though unsuccessfully, the Brotherhood attacked the Railroad, the Railroad destroyed them in return... And now Dez decides it's time to attack the Institute. She calls all the Railroad's allies together. Drummer Boy hesitates, but speaks with her. "I... Think I may be able to get someone good to help us."

Dez crosses her arms. "You don't sound confident."

"Well we kind of betrayed her, labeled _her_ the traitor, and threw her out."

Dez freezes. " _Whisper?_ You found a way to contact her?"

"If she'll have us..."

"Try." Dez's heart returns to its normal pulse. "Do you think... She'll help us? I mean after everything, all the misunderstandings..."

"I don't know. I just deliver the messages."

 

  
A week later, she's at HQ with a child. Not so much a child, but a mid teen. He used to be a farmer, but his parents were killed. She... Adopted him. It's been a trying time for them both, but they've stuck well with each other. He's taken up a habit of calling her "mom."  She pretends it doesn't make her stomach flutter like it does, he pretends his real mother was half the mom Whisper is.

He's behind her, and they both stick to the shadows. Until Deacon notices them. He points them out to Dez. Her son stays hidden. A couple people give her dirty looks, most just look sympathetic, a few even apologetic.

Dez is careful about reintroducing her. She's slow and deliberate. "She is returning to the Railroad, only temporarily if desired, but she will still be a member. I expect the same respect given to her as any other member. Dismissed."

 

  
It's a couple weeks before they actually discuss plans. For now, people make peace, restock, and mod weapons in preparation. Drummer Boy, Deacon, Fixer, Whisper, and a newer agent sit around a table and play cards. Her son is sleeping after taking his first few shots of alcohol. Big day for him. The group is talking about various things when Drummer boy mentions someone he is seeing.

"We've slept together a good number of times, had a few dates. But... She won't kiss me. And usually this would bother me, but it's been months. I don't know how to even bring it up to her."

Whisper shakes her head. "She's using you." She glances at her cards again. "Check."

Fixer laughs. "Harsh. But probably not wrong. Sixty caps."

Another agent, Wanderer, disagrees, throwing a few more caps in the center of the table than Fixer. "Seventy. So she's standoffish. That's apparently normal these days. Using him? Nah."

Deacon shifts in his seat. "There's gotta be some reason you think that. Ninety." He turns to Drummer Boy. "Did you guys have a causal thing set up or something?"

Drummer shakes his head. "Ninety-five. We've been... I mean... No. We've discussed things beyond that. It's just that we've never... We never moved past the just sex thing."

Wanderer looks back at Whisper. "You really think she doesn't actually care about him?"

Whisper raises five more. "No no, let me explain. Drummer Boy, you pay for all the dates, don't you? You ask a lot of questions about her, make her feel nice. And after sex, you two go your separate ways, even if you stay in the same room?"

Drummer Boy nods and hesitates putting that extra five caps in. "Spot on, actually."

"She'll use her mouth. Bite, lick, but not kiss. You know why? Sex is one thing. Both people get something out of it. It's stress relief. But kissing? It's intimate. It shows closeness, trust, a relationship. Let me ask you one more thing. She ever say your name during sex?"

He pauses, rubs his head, then tosses his cards face down. "Shit."

Wanderer tosses their cards down, Fixer too. "How did you know that?"

Deacon keeps his cards and matches Whisper's bet. "Let me guess: experience?" He thinks back to the times they've slept together. She started saying his name a few weeks before the Brotherhood incident. And just before she left...

She shakes her head. "Just knowledge. A kiss is a symbol, sex is means to an end." She turns her cards face up on the table. "So you've got three options: you can break it off and miss any chances in the future with her and start seeing that guy you were talking about earlier today, you can keep on like this with the fact in mind that she is not interested in a relationship, just sex."

Deacon shakes his head and throws down his cards face up, leaning back in his chair. "And the last thing? Which is what I'm guessing you recommend?"

She pulls all the caps towards her and smirks, looking Deacon straight in the eye. "Make a move."

After another two games, Whisper comes out as winner with a close second from Drummer Boy. The last of the drinks are shared and gone, and the gamblers begin to disperse. She notices that Deacon hesitates before walking down the exit tunnel, making sure she sees him before disappearing. She pauses, counts to twenty, then follows.

"You know I don't think anyone has ever bested Drummer boy before. I think I'm actually impressed."

She leans against the wall. "The kid's mom was a gambler. He picked it up from her. Had to learn some new skills to keep him from whooping my ass at cards every night."

He cracks a smile which fades quickly. "When you disappeared... I thought you were dead. I hadn't heard anything from you, and the Brotherhood suddenly stopped their hunt when you vanished. What the hell happened?"

She almost laughs. "You didn't talk to Drummer Boy?"

He shakes his head. "Drummer Boy was quiet about you. I should have noticed how he avoided the topic of you completely." He rubs a hand over his head. "When you disappeared, you didn't say anything. I thought... I went to the Brotherhood and tried to find out if they found you. Pretty tough getting one of their uniforms in my size. They're a lot bigger than me. Not easy to infiltrate." He throws her a smile. "No one knew anything. You were just... Gone. Then Wanderer comes along a month after you vanish and I'm trying to train them so I'm forced to stay close to HQ. I couldn't look anymore."

"I left the Commonwealth. Figured it was safest. For everyone."

"But why did you tell Drummer Boy and no one else? You couldn't leave a note or anything?"

She shrugs. "Drummer Boy and I ran into each other while I was restocking at Bunker Hill. When I came back, he was out setting up a dead drop when we met again. It was by chance, but it sure worked out." Whisper looks up at him. She's having trouble reading his emotions, or rather, more trouble than unusual. "Before I left, I told him to let you know I was safe."

Deacon pauses, then spins to face away from her, rubbing his head again. "He kept saying stuff like 'I'm sure she's fine.'" He laughs. "A little too subtle for my taste. And that's saying something."

"Well..." She says. "I'm safe. I'm sorry the message didn't get to you."

He turns and pushes her up against the wall, smashing their lips together in the process. After a moment, he pulls back his head. "Shit."

" _That's_ the word that comes to mind when you kiss me?"

He looks up at her above his sunglass. Hesitation. Then he has to laugh. "'Make a move,' huh?"

She reaches out and kisses him. "Too subtle for your tastes?"

"Not... Exactly." He steps slightly closer to her, closing any remaining distance betwen them. "I have to know..." He's scared again. His mind tells him not to complicate what they had, or their work relationship now. His mind also tells him there's a good chance at least one of them doesn't make it out of the assault alive. He wages a war in his head over the span of mere moments. In the end, he sighs. _I was never good at this feelings stuff._ "How much ammo do you need for the assault?"

She blinks, slightly disappointed and confused. "I think I'm all set." She glances down and then back up with a nearly convincing  forced smile. "Thanks." She glides past him and moves to the main room. The rest of the night she distracts herself with taking apart and reassembling her gun. He pretends he didn't miss his chance. Again.

 

  
When Dez explains her plan, the crew hears a "mom" coming from the corner. Whisper's head flies up immediately.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"Am I gonna to fight too?"

She hesitates. "Where do you aim?"

"Eyes and mouth."

"What rounds work best against synths?"

"Cold. Cryo? Yeah."

She pauses. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

He nods his head and goes to stand by his mother.

 

  
During the attack, she leads with the other agents. They all wear a red bandana in honor of Glory. Wanderer guides them through tunnels of the Old Robotics wing. When the walls change to pure white reflective panels, Whisper grips her gun tighter. "Don't like this."

Deacon glances at her, then focuses forward again. "We'll get through it." _We have to. I need another chance. Just one more._

The halls twist and turn and Whisper is lost in it all. 'Too white.' She wonders how Wanderer memorized the halls in the short time they were welcome in the Institute. But for now, she keeps her questions to herself. The most important things are making sure the bomb gets to the reactor and staying alive. The synths aren't making it easy though. More of them appear in flashes of light as soon as others fall to sprays of bullets.

Whisper watches her shots carefully. "Don't shoot the unarmed!" But as they make it to the elevator hall, the scientists are making it harder to avoid hitting them. They run in front of synths shooting at the Railroad agents and duck near coursers as they go up in smoke. It takes time and endurance, but the flashes stop and guns silence. As they emerge from cover, there's a large crack and fizzle. Nearly all of them flinch and raise their guns.

Tom. A few laughs echo in the room and Wanderer listens intently. Director's room. They freeze. Whisper notices and steps up beside them. "Tell me where to go and I will."

Wanderer looks over at her. There's pain in their eyes. "No. I have to go. You can... You can come with me, though." She pauses before moving. "Please."

Whisper nods and stays close behind them. Nearly silent steps follow them and she hands back a magazine of bullets without looking. Deacon accepts and reloads. They silently follow Wanderer down the elevator and a couple halls, but they stop at the base of some stairs.

"Wan-?"

"Will you two wait here?" They don't look back at them. Deacon and Whisper can hear the tears and only nod.

They don't speak as Wanderer rises up the stairs and disappears. Whisper close her eyes. She can barely hear two voices. Her head aches from the light in the Institute. "How could they ever live here?" She whispers.

Deacon steps a little closer. "Your head hurt too?"

 _Bang_. They both jump at the sound of a gunshot and fly up the stairs. On a bed to their right is a man... was a man. Wanderer is holding a gun up at the body still, frozen in place.

Whisper stays quiet, but Deacon is more confused than anything. "Wanderer that was your-?"

"No!" They interrupt. Their hands are shaky as they slowly lower them. "No it wasn't." Whisper watches their unsteady steps to a terminal in the far corner.

"Evacuation protocol initiated," echoed over the speakers.

Whisper was more confused than before, but still holds her questions. Wanderer can tell she's dying to ask, but appreciates the control. "A lot of the synths were deactivated with that code. It should be... It should be easier now."

When Wanderer turns to walk away, Whisper reaches out and lightly places a hand on their arm. Wanderer jumps and gasps.

"Go to Tom. We've got this."

It takes a moment to register, but Wanderer nods. When they get back to the elevator, avoiding the deactivated synths along the way, Wanderer rides up and the others meet up outside the reactor elevator.

Dez has been hit but it's not serious. "Where's...?"

"With Tom." Deacon answers. "We've got the bomb. Let's get to that reactor."

Four of them go down the tiny elevator: Whisper, Deacon, Fixer, and Dez. The rest go to meet with Tom and get teleported to safety. On the ride down, it's silent minus Des's words. "This is it." At the bottom, there are no synths to greet them. A few turrets activate and are consequently shot out as the team explores down the hall, but it's still quiet. They make it to a room with hazmat suits and a radiation scrubber before they hear the signs of synths. Clicks and beeps and even a few glitching noises carry over from the room to the right.

Whisper stops and... well, whispers, "There's so many. We go in there, we don't make it out."

Dez nods and tries to think of another way.

"The prototype." Deacon shifts and pulls out a modified stealthboy. "If I can get in real quick and get the bomb on the reactor, we're set."

"Let me." Whisper hold out her hand and begins to take off her weapons and extra ammo packs with the other. "I can move faster and that terminal is like a welcome switch for me."

Dez nods and agrees with her. "You're quicker on the terminal for sure. I don't know a thing about speed."

Fixer shakes his head. "You guys are close, but I'm with you, Whisper. I'd volunteer but after the attack my leg couldn't hold up. Barely is now."

Deacon hesitates. "Be careful?" He holds out the bomb and prototype to her.

She clips it and winks at him. "Take care of kid." She leans forward, pecks him on the mouth, and she vanishes.

Deacon, Fixer, and Dez are transported out by Tom. Atop the Mass Fusion building, they are silent. Wanderer is joined by a child. Dez and Fixer are sharing glances, both gripping their red bandanas. Even Z1 is staring over the city to CIT. After a few minutes, Dez walks towards Deacon. "If she's not here after another minute, we have to detonate it anyway."

He watches the CIT ruins. "She has to show."

After 54 seconds with no sign of her, Dez raises the cover to the detonator. After 1 minute 10 seconds with no sign of her, the Institute no longer exists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who like pain or angst or what not, or even just hate my character, this is the end. 
> 
> For those of you like me and need a definitive ending, hold out.


	2. Another Chance

Deacon breathes deep going down the elevator in Mass Fusion. No one had said a word except Wanderer comforting their son. Even then, it was but a whisper.

 _Whisper_. He's trying to stay calm.  That's all she would be now was a whisper. Barely anyone even knew she existed, let alone that she just gave her life taking out the biggest threat in the Commonwealth to everyone's freedom. Deacon rubs his eyes under his sunglasses. When the elevator stops, he is the first one out and out the door, which slams shut behind him.

He pauses outside and waits to hear the door shut again. "I don't know what to do," he hears.

Deacon turns around to look at the kid. _Neither do I._ "I... Guess for now let's go home." He rubs his eyes then looks back at him. "You're not hurt at all are you?"

The kid pauses, but be pulls his shirt sleeve up and shows a large burn. "I got hit."

Deacon leans down a bit and examines it. "Nothing a couple stitches will be able to fix. Need a little more than that. Your mom give you any stimpacks?"

He shakes his head. "Well, I mean, yeah. But I gave them to Fixer when he hit his head."

Deacon nods. "Let's head to Goodneighbor. Stop by and let Dr. Amari check it out." He says it clearly, but he's distracted. _One more shot was all I needed._ But no. People don't get a million chances to say they love someone. He stops in his tracks, gaining a strange look from the younger man. _Love?_ He shakes his head and they walk slowly to Goodneighbor.

 

  
No one saw the flash of light on the beach. How could they when the Institute was exploding? But she sure as hell felt it. Having your molecules snap back together after a botched teleportation wasn't a smooth process. _And honestly, I'm lucky they snapped back at all._

She breathes in deep. _Shit that hurts._ Her chest aches and her eyes burned from the flash. But she's alive. And in one piece. Her head comes up and she looks around in the smoke. _Gotta get out of the open._ She pushed herself up and damn near fell again when the hole in her side ripped open again. _This'll be fun._

Her steps are slow and unsteady. Every time she passes a building, she's sure to stay close and lean the best she can. She looks in every window hoping to see a stimpack. Hardly any of the buildings even have anything in them. Most of them have been stripped out completely. But as she gets closer to the church, she starts seeing more properly set up buildings.

_"Huh?"_

_Shit_. She lowers herself to the ground to avoid being spotted by the super mutant. After a few moments, she peaks her head up to look around. No sign of him is promising. But she does notice something up ahead of her. _Goodneighbor. Amari._ She tries to move and her side sears with pain, but she makes it. The door is hard to open when you can't even walk. It's even harder to avoid looking like an easy target. _Just get to the Memory Den._

When she gets inside, she collapses. _No._

"Mom!"

Her head comes up as quick as she can manage. Two familiar faces laced with shock are looking at her. She almost manages to smile before fainting.

 

  
_"I love you."_

It hurts.

_"I'm so sorry..."_

She can't tell where the pain is coming from, but she thinks it's her side and her head. Her finger twitch and she realises someone is holding her hand.

_"I should have told you before..."_

She squeezes her eyes shut tighter and tries to lift her head. No luck. Her eyes open and her head rolls to the side towards what she thinks is someone saying something.

_"I love you."_

"Never thought I'd hear that from you," she whispers.

His eyes don't open. He only raises her hand to bring it to his mouth. He holds it there for a moment and then opens his eyes to look at her over his glasses. "I never thought I'd say it again. But... Well, you really surprised me. When the Institute went up and we didn't see you, I thought I missed my chance. I'm just..." she sees a tear roll out from under his sunglasses. "I'm just so glad I was wrong. That I'm getting another chance. I don't deserve all the chances I've been given in my life. I don't deserve you." He leans forward and presses a kiss to her lips. "If a kiss is a symbol, then I should be telling you everything."

She smiles. She can't move much now, but they're safe. Amari will keep them safe until Whisper can move enough to make it home or to HQ. The Institute is gone. Some remnants are still there, and there are also remnants from the Brotherhood, but they'll be dealt with in time. For now, it's just them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a sucker for happy endings.


End file.
